Marciano vs. Walcott (1952)

This fight created one of the most famous pictures in boxing history. In the 13th round Rocky hit Walcott with his right and it was lights out. it was a devastating blow. Walcott collapsed on one of the ropes and Rocky landed a left hook while Jersy Joe was sitting there but it wasn't needed. It was a tough fight and Rocky was a great underdog. Few people recall that Walcott was the first boxer to put Rocky on the floor with a wicked left hook that would've knocked out most fighters. But not Rocky Marciano. he was a superb athlete who trained like a fanatic. he would've done well in any Iron Man contest.

amazing fight. but you're wron about ali. ali was a bigger puncher than walcott,a faster puncher and a more accurate puncher than jersey joe. i know rock had a good chin but ali would've dented it well before the thirteenth. i do love marciano though. heart as big as all outside.

amazing fight. but you're wrong about ali, biff. ali was a bigger puncher,a faster puncher and a more accurate puncher than jersey joe. i know rock had a good chin but ali would've dented it well before the thirteenth.no rope a dope, he woulda put a hurtin on marciano i do love marciano though. heart as big as all outside.

If Marciano hit any heavyweight...and I mean any heavyweight..then and now...with the Suzie Q that made jello of Walcott's face in the 13th round...it would have surely been lights out...absolutely no question about it. There are a lot of "what ifs"...ie: Marciano vs. Patterson, Ali v. Louis, etc, 99% of which only focus on the variables of the fighters physical strength, height, reach, speed and style...much of what by default implies that today's big boys would have the advantage. What they all leave out, however, is what would give Rocky the edge in every fight. Rocky approached his training for every fight with monastic fanatical determination. He fought every fight as if he were the contender fighting for the Crown. No other heavyweight could match Rocky's determination.

Rocky could have taken all comers and made minch meat out of them

This fight was an incredible fight. In we have the veteran Walcott has was a very underrated boxer and who was unlucky not to get the decision against the great Joe Louis. In the other corner we have the rugged, relentless & durable Marciano who was hungry for the title. From the start it appears that Walcotts tactics were to take the fight to Marciano and try to intimidate and tame him using his superior boxing skills and hand speed. Marciano knew that he would take a beating in order to land on Joe and he was prepared to do that. Both fighters were ruthless in there quest and although Marciano did take a severe beating he & Charlie Goldman were pretty confident that there tactics of beating Walcotts arms would sooner or later reduce Walcotts onslaught. The punch that the Rock hit Walcott with in the 13th round travelled no more than approx 9 or 10 inches but the force within the punch left Walcott in cuckoo land. I still think that Marciano would have done the same to Ali's arms... Read more

I just watched the replay on ESPN Classics, and I agree, it was a great fight. But I noticed something I didn't know about. When Marciano landed that right in the 13th round, that sent Walcott down on the ropes, Rocky quickly followed it up with a hard left to the right side of Joe's head, sending him reeling down on the canvas. I wouldn't call it an illegal punch, because the ref hadn't gotten to them yet, but I believe it was the definitive punch that put out the lights of Jersey Joe.

For those who say Marciano lacked power to fight the bigger heavyweights, check out round 13...One punch sent Walcott into queer city!

I don't know that I would call this the greatest fight ever, but for sheer brutality, this fight may be unmatched. For the casual boxing fan, the infamous picture of Jersey Joe Walcott's face being smashed in by Rocky Marciano is one of the most famous fight photos ever (quite possibly the most sickening). But this picture masks the beating Marciano was taking before he landed the wicked shot at Walcott (and of which many boxing afficionados have forgotten). If anything, this fight also reaffirmed the status of Walcott and Marciano as the underrated journeyman and the no-surrender banger, respectively.

Greatest fight ever

In the early rounds Walcott dominates and Rocky looks like its only a matter of time before he's knocked out. Slowly Rocky begins to turn the tide, but then Walcott gets a second wind. Rocky ultimately is not be denied. His grit and determination in this fight is the stuff of legends. There is lots of drama here, with a number of ebbs and flows for both fighters. Much is made of Walcotts age, but he was obviously in great shape for the fight, and still packed an arsenal of skills. Walcott v Marciano I is a classic and if you really like boxing you have to go away with a greater appreciation of both fighters after having seen the fight.

Marciano In my opinion was the toughest boxer or maybe man ever...When he stepped in the ring there was no way he was going to leave the ring the loser! No one even todays standards can meet his stamina and punching power..Tyson has power for a few rounds who has he knocked out after getting beaten up for 12 rounds? Exactly...Frazier said Marciano would beat him, and Frazier said he beat Ali so Ali couldn't be the greatest...Those were Fraziers remarks...Marciano was the best ever to step in that ring!

Great(even though Walcott was 38).

The beauty of this fight was that Walcott (a very underrated fighter) had dominated this fight for 12 rounds, leaving Marciano with only a punchers chance, but that was all the Rock needed. Anyone who didn't think Rocky was an all time great needs to watch this fight. He proved his chin and determination were indominable, and his desire and relentlessness were what won this classic battle.

Produced the greatest still photo in boxing history, I mean Joe looks like a dead man in that picture.

greates one punch ko in ring history! if you've never seen it's a must!

great slugfest! with each fighter beating the hell out of each other and each fighter fighting like the favorite. and the marcianos knockout of walcott in the 13th round, was UNBELIEVEABLE!! especially if u saw the knockout punch in slow motion!